ISCA Archive Eurospeech 1989
ISCA Archive Eurospeech 1989

Objective evaluation of word pronunciation by filter-band analysis

Mark J. Bakkum, Reinier Plomp, Louis C. W. Pols

Usually, pronunciation is evaluated subjectively by listening. The aim of this research project is to obtain an objective measurement of the quality of pronunciation. For this objective evaluation a real-time spectral analyzing method is developed on a digital signal-processor (16 bandfilters according to the critical-band model). For every word this method leads to a different trace in a 16-dimensional spectral space. Besides level and speaker normalisation also time normalisation will be applied by determining an average spectrum for each phoneme and transition. CVC-words were analyzed spoken according to the Dutch pronunciation rules by male adults (6 native Dutch and 9 foreigners). The feasibility of the objective evaluation has been investigated by considering whether the spectral information as expressed in various distancemeasures gives an adequate description of subjective judgements of the phonemes.